Winter Snow Christmas Sensory Box

When I received some happy mail last month with the little foam package material in, I didn’t get disheartened by the mess opening it created. I turned it into opportunity by creating a Winter Snow Christmas Sensory Box. What FUN!

Squirreling the bits away into a box for a few days till I could face them again reminded me of last years Festive seasons packaging creations… Posting letters to Santa and Christmas lights Box, well worth a look for low-budget entertainment.

With a new baby in the house it means we are stuck inside what is probably an extra hour of the day. Plus those nights are getting darker earlier this time of year I needed something to entertain the Robot that wasn’t the big screen box of Paw Patrol doom. A sensory box is perfect.

Winter Snow Christmas Sensory Box

Once you start looking you’ll be surprised how much you can add to this Sensory box. Here is a list of items we used but be imaginative, most white things will work:

Foam packaging bits

White/blue Pom pond

White/blue foam stars

Silver sequins

Silver ribbon

Pipe cleaners cut up

That’s it! I tried this last year too which was a bit crazy, rice and all of the Robots white toys, Lego bricks and all. Ripped up white paper could add an extra layer of touch too.

We’ve gone simple this time. Whereas last year I just let the Robot one year old go nuts and mix, stir, pour and throw to his heart’s content this year at 2 he needed a challenge!

The play equipment:

Spoons

Cups

Pegs aka the snip snips

A wide topped bottle (oasis)

Here is how we got on:

At first the Robot learnt how to open the lid off my box before I had chance to give him the above equipment, so he got stuck in removing the foam bits by hand. This wasn’t my intention but sometimes you need to take a step back and let them get on with it!

With the spoons he started filling up the cups himself. I watched on for a bit offering encouragement.

When his interest started to falter I showed him the plastic bottle. How many foam bits can you fit in? This is where we learn to count past 12. He really loved my input and got me holding the bottle while he put one in and counted. I then told him the right numbers! 20 was our record!

He thought it was hilarious when I shook them out because of how they got stuck. A bit of “where are you” silly voice play happened, staring in the neck perplexed. Comedian I know!

Our next step was the snip snips (pegs). He was fascinated with them in the summer and always played with them as silly crocodiles but today they became a tool. A bit of show and tell later I had shown him how to use the pegs to pick up the foam bits. Amazing, this is where I could leave him be and watch from afar. It took him a while but he got the hang of it easily.

All the little bits had fallen to the bottom of the box. He wasn’t that interested in them till much later when he tipped all the contents in the tuff spot. The pom poms were our next step of play, they were all different sizes so we started naming them Daddy, Mummy, Robot, baby sister, he was content with that.

All this happened while I attended to said baby sister, it gave us time to all work together play and learn without any tantrums or dull moods. I left it all out over night so that he could continue playing with it as and when the next day. It’s been a while since I have given him a sensory box and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it went. At 2 and a quarter the Robots play style has really changed and is more independent. It gives me encouragement to try more things with him.

It’s been put away for now but I imagine we will get it out again this next week… We didn’t! I ended up using the foamy bits to go back in a box as packaging and the stars & sequins made it onto homemade Christmas cards:

If you give this a go you will have to let me know how you get on?

Share this:

Related

10 Comments

What a really nice, simple idea – it’s amazing how little it takes to keep them busy, isn’t it? It’s great once they’re a bit more independent and can play a bit on their own also. If I leave the Popple to play independently, she usually ends up telling herself the most amazing stories. #familyfunThe Squirmy Popple recently posted…Flexi Mamas: Natalie from Plutonium Sox

Great idea. We spend so much on toys but sometimes, the simplest of activities provide the most fun and stimulation to children don’t they. Molly would love this because of all the different little bits in it for her to mess with. #FamilyFunLinky

Karen I was only thinking about your sensory play the other day thinking I could do with some inspo for the days we are stuck in the house, et voila! I love the snippy pegs, what a great idea, both of mine would love trying to pick things up with these! Thanks lovey! #familyfunTammymum recently posted…FamilyFun…Week 62